[Postoperative coma caused by liver failure]

Reported are 135 cases of hepatectomy. Eight patients died, including seven who died of coma due to liver failure. Preoperative misjudgement of the functional reserve of the liver is, admittedly, an unsolved problem. A two-session approach, following chemotherapeutic tumour reduction, might be an alternative, when it comes to large liver tumours with reduced liver function.